With Surface print because of its ‘wet on wet’ print process and its squidgy big fat rollers that paste the ink onto the paper it resembles a wood block feel giving the design a ‘hand – made’ charm that is a sought after look. I loved developing this geometric design, the print method here really gives the ink (especially the metallic) a chance to form lines around the pattern creating ridges, and marks that are totally unique to each print, making each time the roller prints, a one-off stamped mark.

Surface printing machine – lots of ink in print trays

Great 8 Moonlight on the Surface printing machine – just before being rolled.

Surface print machine printing Dandy wallpaper

Great 8 Gold Set – Board shot for new wallpaper books.

Rotary printing is similar to screen printing, in fact it was introduced not long after screen printing came about in the early 1950’s – used for none tonal work and more graphic designs, we have used this method for papers in the past such as our wallpaper ‘Kew’ Elle Decoration loved it so much they awarded it best wall-coverings. Here it works really well for the Letter wallpaper, a one screen print, creating a modern take on the letter-press look. I especially enjoyed developing the Tea Rose colourway, with its soft copper / bronze tones and the Black Letter Boutique a charcoal black ground with warm golden letters.

Letter Times- Rotary print a development on from flatbed screen printing allowing for larger volumes and larger scale patterns than Gravure and Surface- up to 100cm in height , where as Gravure is 68cm.

They always have really interesting shows and help to support up coming curators. The exhibition at the moment is called ‘Aftermath: Objects from Projects’ and is a collection of work that looks at what remains as an art object in the artists head once the project or installation has finished. Matthew Harrison’s ‘Air de Paris’, a bicycle wheel from a cycle trip to Paris fully pumped with air is displayed Marcel Duchamp-style on a wooden crate. David Tremlett’s piece is a map of his travels across the counties of United England mapping his recording of the ambient noise of the wind, birds and motorways that soundtracked his journeys. Well worth a visit if you visiting the area, there’s a nice coffee shop and quiet courtyard.

Clerkenwell design week is happening !

May 26th 2011

The Clerkenwell Design Week can pass you by if your not careful so this year I was really glad to attend the debate at the Knoll showroom on whether there are too many designers. It was, as usual a very popular event with the likes of Luke Pearson (Pearson Lloyd) Emily Campbell (Director of Design at the RSA) Asif Khan (Asif Khan Ltd) , Rab Bennetts (Bennetts Associates)debating their knowledge on the matter under the directorship of the chair Kieran Long. They covered issues on design education, design overload, value of design, design thinking, design past /design future and a lot more. Generally it was very interesting to hear that the feeling of a dumbing down on design can be felt in architecture, furniture as well as design theory. Also discussed was the way design is taught in schools and art schools, how computers are predominating as ‘tutor’ replacements that has led to over subscribed courses and virtually (quite literally) fewer tutors. Has the word ‘design ‘ become a USP? Unfortunately I think it has.

But there is tomorrow to still visit the exhibition in the Farmiloe Building on St Johns Street. Dating from the 1860′s, the building is often used for films including Batman, Sherlock Homes, Marple and Poirot and this week has been transformed by designers for the festival. Here you can see Swedese, a Swedish furniture company, product designer Lee Broom at Deadgood, Moooi, Anglepoise, Ella Doran and Timorous Beasties amongst many others so that should be good !

Kay Jordan Memorial

March 29th 2011

The area in which our studio is based wouldn’t be what it is without Kay Jordan MBE who sadly passed away just before Christmas. At her memorial service last week we were reminded of what a remarkable woman she was.

Kay trained at the Architectural Association which is where her interest in industrial workspaces and housing was developed. She worked tirelessly for the local area, helping to nurture small creative businesses (including ours) by providing an affordable home via her organisation the Spitalfields Small Business Association (SSBA). The SSBA was a pioneer in the 1980s, renovating of many of the derelict old local workshops and commercial spaces and attracting creative people to East London. Her genuine commitment to the neighbourhood was shown through social welfare and community projects and by campaigning against the threats to the area such as CrossRail. She will be missed enormously.